Most people think of court reporters as only taking records in the courtroom, but thanks to their specialized skills, a court reporter can work in many other settings. Law offices and other commercial clients also use San Jose court reporters for board meetings, legal statements, interviews, arbitration, and more. Whatever client court reporters are working for, there are certain responsibilities that they must fulfill. Here is an overview of what you can expect when you hire a court reporter.

Create Records of Speaker Information

When preparing records, it is very important for a court reporter to document information about each speaker . Though the kind of information available will vary depending on the job—for instance, a court record may include name and address while a business meeting record may include name and job title—this information about speakers helps people using the records better understand what occurred. This information also allows readers to know who to follow up with if they have a question about a particular part of the transcript.

Create Accurate Spoken Dialogue Record

Perhaps the single most important responsibility of a court reporter is to capture all spoken dialogue during a court case or meeting. A court reporter achieves this task using specialized equipment and a form of shorthand that can be translated by software. The records may be referenced by lawyers and juries during court cases or reviewed by company employees after a business meeting.

Prepare and Edit Transcripts

It’s essential for all records created by court reporters be professionally structured and free from errors. To do this, reporters take the drafts they create in real time and then format them and edit them so they are ready to distribute to the courts or corporate clients. They also review speaker names and technical terms for accuracy before creating final transcripts.

Court reporters are specially trained professionals who type at least 225 words per minute to deliver an accurate record of the events in a business meeting, deposition, or other legal proceeding. While there are some places that have turned to digitized recording instead of relying on a court reporter, these digital recordings have drawbacks. A court reporter is in control of the transcript he is producing, and can ask anyone involved to repeat themselves. On the other hand, digital recorders may produce garbled results that leave gaps in the transcription. Court reporters can also read back the record immediately upon request, while it takes time for digital recordings to be transcribed into written records. Take a look at this infographic to learn more about the benefits of using a court reporter in San Jose instead of a digital recorder. Please share with your friends and colleagues.